Prime Minister's Office
English rendering of PM’s speech at inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of various projects in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, my cabinet colleagues Shri Narendra Singh Tomar ji, Virendra Kumar ji, Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, all other dignitaries, and all my family members who have come here in such a large number! I salute this historical land of Gwalior!
This land is a symbol of courage, self-respect, military glory, music, tastebuds as well as mustard. Gwalior has given the best revolutionaries to the country. Gwalior-Chambal region has given its brave children to our army for the defence of the nation. Gwalior has also shaped the policy and leadership of BJP.
Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia ji, Kushabhau Thakre ji and Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji were shaped by the soil of Gwalior. This land is an inspiration in itself. Every patriot from this land had sacrificed himself for the nation and had dedicated his life for the nation.
My family members,
Crores of Indians like us did not get the privilege of fighting for the freedom of the country. But the responsibility of making Bharat developed and making Bharat prosperous is on the shoulders of all of us. Even today, once again I have come to Gwalior amidst you to carry this mission forward. Currently, development projects worth about Rs 19 thousand crores have been either inaugurated or their foundation stones laid.
And I was watching as the curtains were being raised one after the other for the inauguration and foundation stone laying of the projects. The curtains were raised so many times that you got tired of clapping. You can imagine that today our government has been doing so many inaugurations and foundation stones laying ceremonies in a year that no government could do in a year and people get tired of clapping. We have the capacity to do so much work.
My family members,
Before Dussehra, Dhanteras and Diwali, about 2.25 lakh families of Madhya Pradesh are entering their new houses today. Today several connectivity-related projects have also been started here. Vikram Udyogpuri in Ujjain and Multi Modal Logistics Park in Indore will expand the industrialization process of Madhya Pradesh. Thousands of new jobs and new opportunities are going to be created for the youth here. Today various new projects have started in IIT Indore also.
Today, besides Gwalior, even Vidisha, Betul, Katni, Burhanpur, Narsinghpur, Damoh and Shajapur have got new health centres. These centres have been built under the Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission. These have facilities for treatment of serious diseases. I congratulate all of you and my family members of Madhya Pradesh for all these initiatives!
Friends,
All these projects are the result of the joint efforts of the double engine government. When both Delhi and Bhopal have like-minded governments dedicated to public welfare, then such work gets done at a faster pace. Therefore, today Madhya Pradesh has faith in the double engine government. Double engine means double development of MP!
My family members,
In the past years, our government has pulled Madhya Pradesh up from a BIMARU state to the top 10 states of the country. From here, our aim is to take Madhya Pradesh to the top-3 states of the country. Should MP be among the top-3 or not? Should MP be ranked among the top-3 or not? Should it reach top 3 with great pride or not? Who can do this work? Who can give this guarantee? Your answer is wrong, because this is the guarantee given by your single vote as a responsible citizen. Your one vote can take Madhya Pradesh to number three. Your every vote given to Double Engine will take MP to top-3.
My family members,
MP cannot be developed by those people who neither have any new thinking nor a roadmap for development. These people have only one work at hand - hatred towards the country's progress, hatred towards Bharat's schemes. In their hatred they even forget the achievements of the country. Today you see, the whole world is praising the glory of Bharat. Is Bharat's voice being heard in the world or not? Today the world sees its future in Bharat. But those who are in the political quagmire, who do not see anything except power and do not like the voice of India which is echoing in the world today.
Just imagine friends, Bharat has become the 5th largest economic power from number 10 in 9 years. But these anti-development people are trying to prove that this has not happened. Modi has given a guarantee that in the next term, Bharat will be among the top three economies of the world. This also is frustrating some power-hungry people.
My family members,
The country had given 6 decades to these anti-development people. 60 years is not a short time. If this much work could be done in 9 years, then how much could have been done in 60 years! They also had a chance but they could not do it. So, this is their failure. At that time, they used to play with the emotions of the poor, and even today they are playing the same game. At that time, they used to divide the society in terms of caste, and even today they are committing the same sin. At that time, they were immersed in corruption, and today they have become more and more corrupt. At that time, they used to be busy glorifying one particular family and even today they are doing the same to secure their future. That's why they don't like glorifying the nation's pride.
My family members,
Modi has guaranteed pucca houses to poor, Dalit, backward and tribal families. So far, under this initiative, 4 crore families in the country have got their pucca houses. Here in MP too, lakhs of houses have been handed over to poor families so far and even today such a large number of houses has been inaugurated. When these people were ruling the central government in Delhi, there was only loot going on in the name of giving away houses to the poor. The houses these people built were not even fit for habitation. There were lakhs of such beneficiaries across the country who had never even set foot in those houses. But in the houses being built today, house warming ceremonies are taking place merrily. This is because each beneficiary is building these houses as per his or her own convenience. They are building their homes as per their dreams and needs.
Our government monitors the work as it gets done, through technology, and sends the money directly into their bank accounts. There is no theft, no leakages in money, no corruption. And the construction of the house progresses smoothly. Earlier, only four walls were constructed in the name of a house. But in the houses being constructed today, toilet, electricity, tap water, Ujjwala gas, everything is available in. Today, work on important water-related projects for Gwalior and Sheopur districts has also started. This will also help in supplying water to these houses.
Friends,
Modi has also ensured that Lakshmi of these houses i.e. my mothers and sisters are the owners of the house. Are you aware that the houses under PM Awas Yojana are registered in the name of women? Crores of sisters have become 'Lakhpatis' due to the houses under the PM Awas Yojana. These houses worth lakhs have been registered in the names of those who did not have any property in their names before. Even today, most of the houses which are inaugurated have been registered in the name of women.
And brothers and sisters,
Modi has fulfilled his guarantee. I also want a guarantee from you sisters. I just want to ask the sisters, since I have fulfilled my guarantee, will you give me a guarantee? Will you give me a guarantee? Sure? So, I need a guarantee from you that after getting your houses, you need to educate your children very well and teach them some skill. Will you do it? This guarantee of yours gives me strength to work.
My family members,
Women empowerment is not a vote bank for Bharat, but a dedicated mission for national welfare and nation building. We have seen many governments in the past. Our sisters were repeatedly asked for votes by making false promises of 33 percent reservation in Lok Sabha, in Parliament. But due to a conspiracy in Parliament, the law was not enacted. It was stalled again and again. But Modi had given a guarantee to the sisters. And Modi's guarantee means fulfilment of every guarantee.
Today the Nari Shakti Vandana Adhiniyam has become a reality. I am saying this in this event and also for the future, that we have to move forward in the same direction in order to increase the participation of our women in the journey of development to open the path of progress even further.
Brothers & sisters,
All the development projects that we have implemented today are going to get an impetus from the passing of this law.
My family members,
Gwalior-Chambal region is becoming a land of opportunities today. But the situation was not always like this. What is the track record of those leaders who have been in the government for several decades but are talking too much today? Our young friends, the first-time voters, have seen only BJP government in their entire life. They have seen a progressive Madhya Pradesh. These leaders of the opposition parties who are talking a lot today had got the opportunity to rule Madhya Pradesh for many decades.
During their rule, injustice and oppression flourished in Gwalior-Chambal region. Social justice was marginalized under their rule. At that time, the weak, the Dalits and the backward people were not heard. People used to take law into their own hands. It had become difficult for the common man to move freely on the roads. With a lot of hard work, our government has been able to bring this region to today's level. Now we don't need to look back from here.
The next 5 years are very crucial for Madhya Pradesh. Today, a new airport terminal is being built in Gwalior, and an elevated road is also being built. A new hospital with a thousand beds has been built here; new bus stand, modern railway station, new schools and colleges are being built. One after the other the face of entire Gwalior is changing. Similarly, we need to change the image of entire Madhya Pradesh and hence a double engine government is necessary here.
Friends,
Modern infrastructure not only makes life easier, but is also the path to prosperity. Today, the 8-lane expressway connecting Jhabua, Mandsaur and Ratlam has also been inaugurated. Madhya Pradesh of the last century also yearned for good quality 2-lane roads. Today 8-lane expressways are being built in MP. Work has also started today on the 4-lane road connecting Indore, Dewas and Harda. The work of converting the Gwalior-Sumawali section of the Railways to broad-gauge has also been completed. Now the first train on this section has also been flagged off. This area is going to benefit a lot from all these connectivity-related projects.
Friends,
With modern infrastructure and good law and order, be it farmers or industries, everyone flourishes. Where anti-development governments come to power, both these systems collapse. If you look at Rajasthan, throats are slit openly and the government there keeps watching. Wherever these anti-development people go, appeasement also begins. Due to this, goons, criminals, rioters and corrupt people become uncontrollable. Atrocities on women, Dalits, backward classes and tribals increase. In the past years, crime and corruption have increased the most in these anti-development states. Therefore, Madhya Pradesh has to be very careful about these people.
My family members,
Our government is dedicated to carrying forward development to every class and every region. Modi pays attention to those people who were always neglected. Modi worships them. I want to know from you, had anyone heard the word ‘Divyang’ before 2014? Those who were physically challenged were left helpless by the previous governments.
It is our government which took care of the Divyangs or specially-abled people, provided modern equipment to them and developed a common sign language for them. Today itself a new sports centre for Divyangs has been inaugurated in Gwalior. This will further strengthen the identity of Gwalior as a major sports hub in the country. And friends, believe me, the world will talk about sports, and the sports of Divyangs. Mark my words, Gwalior is going to feel proud.
And that is why I say that Modi pays attention to those who were always neglected. Modi worships them. For so many years no one cared about the small farmers of the country. Modi showed his concerns about these small farmers. Our government has so far sent Rs 28,000 to the accounts of every small farmer in the country under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. There are 2.5 crore small farmers in our country who grow coarse grains. Earlier no one cared about the small farmers growing coarse grains. It is our government which has given the identity of 'Shri-Anna' to millets and is taking it to the markets across the world.
Friends,
Another major proof of this spirit of our government is the PM Vishwakarma Yojana. Our potter brothers and sisters, blacksmiths, carpenters, goldsmiths, garland makers, tailor brothers and sisters, washermen, cobblers, barbers, and many such friends involved in similar activities have been important pillars of our lives. It is impossible to imagine a life without them. Our government has taken care of them after so many decades of independence.
These friends were left behind in the society. But now Modi has launched a massive campaign to bring them forward. The government will provide thousands of rupees for training these friends. BJP government will give Rs 15,000 for modern equipment. Cheap loans worth lakhs of rupees are also being given to these friends. Modi and the Central government have given the guarantee of providing loans to Vishwakarma friends.
My family members,
The anti-development political parties of the country want to take Madhya Pradesh backward, whereas our double engine government thinks about the future. Therefore, one can trust only the double engine government for development. Only our government can guarantee that Madhya Pradesh will be among the top states in the country in terms of development.
Right now, Shivraj ji was telling me that Madhya Pradesh is number one in the country in terms of cleanliness. Today is Gandhi Jayanti. Gandhiji used to talk about cleanliness. Yesterday, a cleanliness drive took place across the country. Have you seen even a single Congressperson cleaning or making any appeal for cleanliness? Do the Congressperson hate the fact that Madhya Pradesh has become number one in terms of cleanliness? What good can they do for Madhya Pradesh? Can we trust such people?
And that is why I urge all of you, brothers and sisters, to take this pace of development forward, to increase it rapidly and today you have come here in such large numbers to bless me! I express my heartfelt gratitude to the friends of the Gwalior-Chambal region for coming here to shower their blessings on me.
Say along with me-
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Bharat Mata Ki Jai!
Thank you very much.
DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.